Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Sir CHARLES NAPIER--(there are three Napiers, all equally ready with the
sword and pen, and with the Bishop of Exeter probably the four most
impracticable and crotchety men now alive: William, major-general,
author of the "Peninsular War," "Conquest of Scinde," and other works;
Charles J., major-general, commander-in-chief in India, author of the
oddest dispatches and general-orders on record; and Charles,
rear-admiral, and author of the pamphlet of which we are about to
speak)--has issued a publication in which all the horrors which Sir
Francis Head foresees in a French invasion and conquest of England are
abundantly magnified. The admiral proves, to his own satisfaction at
least, that England is at any moment liable to fall a prey to French,
Russian, or American rapacity.
A life of EDWARD WILLIAMS, a Welsh poet of the last century, has just
been published in London, which is said to contain a good deal of
pleasant literary gossip. We find mentioned in it a rencontre with the
great Dr. Johnson, which is characteristic, and interesting enough to be
repeated. Mr. Williams seems to have been fond of lounging in book
stores, and on one such occasion was thus occupying a leisure hour, and
quiet corner, in this banqueting-room, "when a large, ungraceful man
entered the shop, and seating himself abruptly by the counter, began to
inspect some books and pamphlets lying there. This austere-looking
personage held the books almost close to his face, as he turned over the
leaves rapidly, and the Bard thought petulantly; then replaced them on
the counter, and finally gave the whole a stern kind of shove out of the
way, muttering as he rose, 'The trash of the day, I see!' then, without
word or sign of recognition to the bookseller, rolled himself out of the
shop. When he was gone, the Bard inquired of his friend who that bluff
gentleman might be. The reply was, '_That bluff gentleman_ is the
celebrated Dr. Johnson.'" This excited the desire of Mr. Williams to see
him again, and he accordingly took another opportunity to meet him; and
in order to have an excuse for speaking to him, presented three Grammars
to him, and "solicited the favor of Dr. Johnson's advice which of them
to choose, observing that the judgment of such a masterly writer must be
the most valuable he could possibly obtain. Johnson either disregarded
this really graceful compliment to him as a model author, or he was in
an ungracious temper--no uncommon condition with him--for taking the
volumes into his hands, he cast an equivocal look, between a glance and
a scowl, at the humble stranger before him, hastily turned over the
several title-pages, then surveyed him from head to foot, with an
expression rather contemptuous than inquisitive; and, thrusting back the
Grammars in his huge fist, rather _at_ the inquirer than toward him,
delivered this oracular reply '_Either of them_ will do for _you_, young
man.'"
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